It Doesn't Smell That Bad - Does it ???

The other day, when I was walking to a friends place, I caught a whiff of a smell which sent me back many moons ago. I smelt it even before I was anywhere near the friends house but I knew the smell had to becoming from his place and it was. I stood at the gate for a couple of minutes and just took it all in. He had just returned from up north and there he was in the kitchen, cooking away on the stove with all the windows in the house open. He was cooking porridge even though it was late afternoon, but it wasn't real porridge in the true sense of the word that one normally cooks in the morning for breakfast. It was maori porridge, which as I said sent me back many moons ago as I remember cooking it in the house with all the windows closed. For maori porridge, all you need are a few cobs of corn, an old hessian sugar sack and a creek with running water. Put the cobs in the sack with a couple of rocks to weigh it down so it stays under the water, tie off the end, put it in the creek and forget about it for 2 to 3 weeks. By which time, the corn is rotten. Scrap the corn off the cobs into a pot, cook it up and there you have it - maori porridge. Don't forget the cream & sugar. Where does the need for all the windows of the house to be open when you cook maori porridge ? Try cooking it with all the windows closed and you'll get the picture or a boot up the bum like I did. I must of had a cold that day I was cooking it, because I couldn't smell anything. (hehe) Believe me, once you have smelt it cooking, it's a smell you don't forget.

Vaka Moana

The story begins 4000 years ago - 3500 years before European explorers ever thought to head south.
Our Pacific ancestors launched their ocean-going crafts in the world's largest ocean. It's one of the world's greatest stories that has been recreated at the Auckland War Memorial Museum in the Domain. It open on December 9th in the museum's newly created exhibition dome. After 3 months in Auckland, the exhibition will travel to Japan; Taiwan; Australia and The Netherlands. Negotiations are also underway for it to continue on to France, USA and Canada. On display in the exhibition are almost 200 objects from the Auckland museum's extensive Pacific & Maori collections as well as from other NZ and international collections. These include full-size sailing canoe's; large scale replica's; navigation tools & instruments; paintings; engravings and charts. Maybe a once in a life time chance to see such a great exhibition under one roof or one dome.

Tohu Wines

Nga hua a te whenua - Our Gift From The Land. Tohu Wines is a stunning example of an indigenous New Zealand winery that is now firmly established as a quality wine label. Tohu's vineyards are situated in Marlborough and Gisborne, two of New Zealand's premier wine growing regions. Tohu Wines is the first indigenous wine company producing wine for the domestic and export markets. True to Aotearoa's (New Zealand's) indigenous culture, Tohu Wines are superb examples of varietal excellence with a unique and distinct appeal. True to Maori culture, to Tikanga Maori, there is a strong spiritual aspect to everything grown by Maori on the land. This land is a gift, and we are truly blessed to be a part of this beautiful land.

Maori Festival

The vibrant Te Matatini National Festival is a Maori performing arts festival featuring a kapa hapa competition; contemporary maori dance; drama; poetry; storytelling; visual & fine arts and traditional art forms of oratory, carving, weaving and ta moko (tatoo) to be held at the Arena Manawatu in Palmerston North on February 22nd to the 25th.

The Maori Flag ?

All week, some maori's have been complaining that Transit NZ will not allow them to fly the maori flag from the top of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. They say that maori's as a nation should be able to find the flag as flags of other countries are flown on their national day. That's news to me - I didn't know that we, maori's were a separate nation of NZ and that we even had a flag. So much for been "one country". Only after been denied the opportunity to fly the flag from the bridge, which they now say has no wairua or value to the maori anyway and thus was an inappropriate site for the maori flag, they have now decided to fly the flag from No Tree Hill. It was One Tree Hill, until someone tried cutting down the lone pine tree that was there. They didn't get to cut it right down, but later on it was cut right down. What's the point of flying the flag from there ? If they want to fly the maori flag, why not fly it at Bastion Point ? As for the harbour bridge, there would of been a lot of maori's that worked on helping to build it.

The Maori King Not Attending

So much for the maori King - who has been accused of snubbing the countries largest iwi, Ngapuhi, after declining an invitation to attend the Waitangi Day commemorations at Waitangi at Te Tii marae at 4pm on Monday. You would of thought with him, been the highest maori in NZ and in his first year of rein, he would attend. He can travel to Dargaville to open a dining room on Sunday but can't or won't attend Waitangi on Monday/Tuesday. Oh well, more food for the rest of the maori's and their visitors. One of whom is Mr Key, the National Party Leader but I don't think they will give him the key to the door, just yet. He will visit the marae in the late afternoon and then attend a dawn service on Tuesday at 5am.

Have a look at the previous post for details & websites about Waitangi Day.